Twisted Perceptions
by YouThinkYouNoeMe
Summary: Cowritten with Nicole, or Sweetiepie1. A grudge can go a long way...
1. Default Chapter

This is a fic that Nicole (Sweetiepie1) and me are writing together.  Hope you guys like it!

PART ONE

APRIL 2002

The two women walked down the arena hallway, talking and laughing as they made their way to the women's locker room.  Britney McMahon, the cousin of Shane and Stephanie, and her best friend Nicole Riley had been in WWE for about two years now.  When they'd first signed on, they had a lot of critics… people weren't too fond of them getting jobs through their connection to the McMahon's.  But as time passed, they proved over and over again that they most definitely belonged in the business.  Nicole had a very good lucha libre style going for her, doing a lot of stuff that resembled Lita and the Hardyz, while Britney was a street fighter who took a bunch of huge bumps like her cousin Shane.  Needless to say, the two fit in very well and they made a lot of friends.  When they reached the door, they saw that it was being blocked by two people who definitely weren't divas.

"Um, guys?  You wanna move?" Britney asked, grinning at Matt Hardy and Adam Copeland.

"Yeah, what are you doing here anyway?" Nicole asked, eyeing the two men speculatively.  "Trying to get a free peep show?"  Matt scoffed playfully at her.

"I can't believe you'd think so lowly of me _Nicole Marie_," he said, rolling his eyes.

"Why shouldn't I _Matthew Moore_," she replied, using the same mocking tone he was.  Ignoring the two of them, Adam looked at Britney, answering the girls' questions.

"We'll move if you want us to, and we're not here to get a peep show," he said, sending them a look as though he was shocked they'd accuse him of such a thing.  "What we *were* doing was waiting…" he trailed off, eyeing Britney again.  Smiling, she walked over to him.

"Waiting for what?" she asked curiously.

"John… he apparently has a thing for Dawn Marie.  We had to force him to go in there and talk to her," Matt said.  Adam nodded.

"Yeah, and we're blocking the door so he can't get out until he asks her out," he added.  The girls laughed, pushing the two men out of the way.

"Aw, poor John… I'll go save him," Britney said, pushing Adam out of the way to grab the door handle.  Adam jumped, trying to wrestle her away from the door.  Taking her hands in his, he pushed her back away from the door, using his size and strength to his advantage.  Matt and Nicole stepped back, laughing as Britney began to battle back and slam Adam against the wall.

"They want each other," Matt whispered, leaning down so he was Nicole's height.  She nodded and laughed, smiling at her two friends.

"Oh yeah… totally obvious," she said.  She stood and watched for a minute, but when Adam pinned Britney to the wall, she decided to intervene.  She jumped up onto Adam's back, causing him to trip backwards.  She hooked her arms around his neck, cracking up as Adam began to fall onto the losing end of the battle.  Britney pointed her index finger and repeatedly poked the Canadian in the stomach.

"Matt… a little help," he said, trying to fight the two women off but having little success.  Matt simply stepped back further, shaking his head and laughing heartily.

"No way man.  I'm not getting my ass kicked," he said, putting his hands up in protest.  Adam struggled for a few more moments, eventually losing his balance and toppling over.  As he fell, he hit the door to the locker room.  He instinctively grabbed the handle on his way down, knocking the door open.  Britney and Nicole jumped up, gasping as they looked into the room.  John and Dawn were in there alright… and they were in the middle of some heavy duty action.  Dawn was sitting in Cena's lap, her tongue literally jammed down his throat as he placed his hands on her waist.  The girls covered their mouths to prevent themselves from cracking up.  Adam made his way up, trying to see what was so funny.

"I guess _that_ talk went well," Adam commented dryly, taking in the sight of the two making out.  Britney smacked him the arm, sending him a look that had 'shut up' written all over it.  It was too late though, John and Dawn Marie heard them and immediately broke their kiss.  The two of them, especially John, turned a unique shade of pink after hearing the cat calls their friends were giving them.

"Nice John," Matt said, coming in and smacking him on the back.  Britney and Nicole walked in behind Adam, mouthing 'sorry' to Dawn and John.

"Yo, that's not cool man, not cool," John said, adjusting his hat.  Shaking his head, Adam sat down on the couch in between the two women.

"Sorry, I didn't mean it.  Anyway, are we all still going out tonight?" Adam asked, changing the subject.  All the heads in the room nodded.

"Yeah, you and Matt are gonna drive us right?" Nickie asked.  Matt nodded.

"Yeah, we'll come here and pick you up at the end of the show.  We could leave earlier, but *big shot Adam* has to interfere in the main event," Matt said, rolling his eyes emphatically.  Adam grinned… Matt was so jealous of his big push.

"Don't be jealous now Matty," he said, laughing quietly.  Looking up at the clock, he realized what time it was.  "Okay, I'm going to go get ready for the show.  You should too Matt, considering you're on first, you mid card piece of shit."  After making his comments he ran, fleeing from Matt as he stormed out of the room after him.  John shook his head… the WWE was definitely *nothing* like he'd expected.

LATER THAT NIGHT 

Britney and Nicole through their stuff in their bags, getting ready to leave the arena.  After they were done, they sat back on the couch, waiting for Matt and Adam to come and get them.  They waited a little while, laughing and talking with Dawn, Nidia, and Torrie.  After about fifteen more minutes, there was a knock at the door.  Britney jumped up to answer the door.  Swinging it open, she grinned as she saw Adam and Matt standing there.

"Hey guys," she said, unable to prevent her eyes from lingering on Adam.  He was just so damn cute.  She stared at him for a minute, eyeing his leather encased legs appreciatively.  _That man was built for leather._

"Hi Britney," Matt said, snapping her out of her daze.  Something about his smile told her that he knew she was staring, and her cheeks reddened slightly.  Shaking his head, his grin widened as he watched her blush.

"Let's go kids, we're off the to the club," he called into the room.  Nicole stood, grabbing hers and Britney's bags, handing Britney hers at the door.  The four of them said goodbye to the other girls, closing the door behind them.  Then they made their way out of the arena.  On the way down the hall, Nicole remembered that she had forgotten the sweatshirt she had brought in the locker room.  Stopping abruptly, she got the attention of her friends.

"Shit… guys, I have to run back to the locker room for a minute… I forgot something," she said, turning to walk away.

"Do you want us to go back with you?" Adam asked, catching her by the arm.  Shrugging out of his grip, Nicole shook her head.

"No, it's cool.  I'll just meet you guys at the car," she said, before turning and heading back in the direction of the locker room.  On the way there she passed some of the guys, nodding hello and moving along.  Then, when she turned the corner, she smacked into someone, causing her to drop the lip gloss she had in her hand.  She bent down to pick it up, beginning to apologize as she stood.  She gasped as she looked up and up and up to see Brock Lesnar.

"Sorry about that Brock," she said, brushing herself off.  She offered him a smile, but then her grin faded when she saw Paul Heyman step out from behind Brock.

"It's o… I mean, watch where going next time," he said, pushing past her and nearly knocking her off balance.  Nicole looked after him, confused.  He was about to say it was okay, and then his tone and facial expressions changed suddenly.  Nicole thought it was odd that the transformation occurred right after Heyman grabbed his arm.  As the two of them walked away, he could see Heyman talking to Brock.  She couldn't make out what he was saying, but the way he was looking at him made it seem as though he was chastising him for trying to accept her apology.  Nicole knew that Paul didn't like her or Britney, but the control he had over Brock made her wonder what in hell was going on.

**So, what do you guys think of this first part?  Should we continue?**


	2. Part 2

PART TWO   
  
LATER THAT NIGHT  
Adam and Matt stood with John as they watched Britney, Nicole, and Dawn Marie dancing together. Matt stood in the middle of his friends laughing at how they admired the two women Nicole was dancing with. "Guys, go ask them to dance."   
  
John turned to him and raised an eyebrow. "Should I?"   
  
"If you don't, I will." Matt responded. "I don't have Amy here and I'm bored."   
  
"No, no, no." John responded quickly. "I can do it."   
  
Matt and Adam laughed, watching John walk over to the girls and ask Dawn to dance. Nicole and Britney just laughed and pushed Dawn closer to him.   
  
"Ok Adam, your turn."   
  
Adam looked at Matt like he was crazy. "My turn?"   
  
"Yeah, man I know you like Brit, just go ask her."   
  
"Where in the world did you get the idea that I like Brit? She's just a... friend."   
  
"Uh huh, right. I believe you Copeland. Well why don't you ask her to dance as a 'friend'." Matt suggested, using finger quotes. "Unless, you're chicken?"   
  
"I'm not chicken." Adam protested. "You know what? I will, just to prove you wrong."   
  
"Good, go do it then."   
  
Adam just rolled his eyes and walked away.   
  
ON THE DANCE FLOOR  
"Brit, look." Nicole said, nudging her friend.   
  
"What?" Britney asked, looking over to where Nicole was pointing. Blushing slightly, she smiled when she saw Adam approaching them.   
  
"Hey." He greeted, smiling at her, then Nicole.   
  
Taking the hint, Nicole nodded. "Ok, I'm gonna... go... talk to Matt."   
  
"Nic..." Britney started. Shaking her head, she looked up and met Adam's eyes.   
  
Adam blushed and smiled. "Do you, wanna dance?" He questioned, biting his lip slightly.   
  
"Sure." Britney replied, taking his hand.   
  
*Nicole and Matt*   
  
"Good job Matt." Nicole praised, watching her friends dance. "I can't believe you got Adam over there."   
  
Smiling, Matt responded. "I told him he was chicken, he wanted to prove me wrong."   
  
The two laughed, then smiled as they noticed Torrie Wilson and her husband Peter Gruner (Billy Kidman) approaching them.   
  
"Hey Nic, hey Matt." Torrie greeted.   
  
"Hey Tor, what's up?"   
  
"Nothing, I just wanted to tell Matt good job on getting Adam and Brit to dance. They look so cute together."   
  
"If only they would admit to that." Nicole responded, laughing.   
  
"Hopefully they'll realize it soon." Torrie agreed. "Hey Nic, I wanted to ask you something."   
  
"Yeah?" Nicole asked.   
  
"Have you talked to Brock Lesnar since he got here?"   
  
Raising an eyebrow, Nicole shook her head. "No... well I ran into him today, but I don't think that counts."   
  
"You ran into him?" Matt questioned. "When?"   
  
"Matt, it's not a big deal." Nicole said calmly. "When I went back to my locker room, I was walking back to you guys, I turned the corner and walked into him."   
  
"Is that it?" Matt asked.   
  
Rolling her eyes, Nicole nodded. "Yes Dad, it is." She had purposely left out the part about Paul Heyman, knowing that Matt hadn't been able to stand Heyman or Brock for that matter, since they had messed with Amy earlier that year.   
  
"Ok, I'm just checking. We all know who Brock's manager is. And I don't trust Heyman as far as I can throw him."   
  
"Yeah, but you might want to throw him. Like into a river." Peter joked. He hated Heyman as much as anyone else, having worked with him during the Invasion. He'd seen Heyman hit on every woman in the Alliance, with the exception of Charlene (Jazz). He knew she would kick his ass if he messed with her.   
  
Torrie nodded. "That man is one of the sleaziest, most disgusting..."   
  
Nicole just nodded, not wanting to hear horror stories about Paul Heyman's antics. She had seen him looking at her and Britney on more than one occasion. They both knew how much Heyman hated them, he thought they were selfish brats who didn't deserve to be in WWE. But, his disdain for the divas didn't stop him from staring at them whenever they were around him.   
  
Shaking her head to clear her thoughts, Nicole let her gaze wander over to Adam and Britney, who were now slow-dancing. Nicole smiled and looked behind the couple, noticing two people walking into the club. "Shit." She muttered, looking away.   
  
"Speak of the devil." Matt announced, pointing to Heyman and Brock, who were making their way to the bar.   
  
"What a way to ruin a night." Torrie remarked, turning her back to the two men.   
  
"Who cares? Just ignore them." Nicole replied, shrugging. "I'm going to go get a drink. Anyone want anything?"   
  
Matt shook his head and grabbed Nicole's arm. "Nic, let me get the drinks."   
  
"Matt, I'm a big girl. I think I can walk to the bar for a root beer by myself."   
  
Matt rolled his eyes and ignored Torrie and Peter's snickers. "I don't trust you going anywhere near Heyman."   
  
"Matt, we're in a bar. And I have friends all over the place. I'm not afraid of Heyman." Matt sighed and released Nicole's arm.   
  
"Be careful." Matt warned. Nicole nodded and walked away.   
  
AT THE BAR  
Nicole walked up to the bar, standing on Paul Heyman's right side. Ignoring him, she spoke to the bartender. "Can I have a root beer?"   
  
"Not a drinker, huh?"   
  
Rolling her eyes, Nicole turned her head toward the voice, which was more like a squeal. "That's none of your business."   
  
"Oh, I'm sorry Nicole, I was just trying to make conversation."   
  
"If you say so. And, as a matter of fact, no I'm not much of a drinker."   
  
"But why? Drinking can help you immensely. It helps you get rid of all your inhibitions." Heyman said, reaching a hand up to touch Nicole's brown hair.   
  
Shoving his hand away, Nicole glared at him, her blue eyes flashing. "Keep your disgusting hands off me, Heyman."   
  
"You know a slut like you likes it." Heyman sneered, standing up so he had at least three inches of height on her, suddenly making Nicole wish she'd worn bigger heeled shoes. She didn't like how he was looking down at her.   
  
"Fuck off." She shot back, backing up more.   
  
Heyman just laughed as he stared at her.   
  
Averting her gaze, Nicole looked to her right and met Brock Lesnar's blue eyes. She couldn't quite read the look, but by the way Brock looked away right as they locked eyes told Nicole that he was about as comfortable with this as she was.   
  
"Miss, your drink."   
  
Turning around, Nicole grabbed her drink and backed away from Heyman more. Shuddering at the look he sent her, Nicole quickly returned to her friends.   
  
"Hey kid." Adam greeted.   
  
Sending him a fake smile, Nicole turned to Britney. "Can we go?"   
  
Eyeing her friend in concern, Britney replied. "Why, what's wrong?"   
  
"Nothing, I just don't feel well." Nicole lied.   
  
"Okay, we'll go." Britney answered. "Hey guys, Nic doesn't feel well, we're gonna go home."   
  
"You okay Nic?" Matt questioned, concerned.   
  
"Yeah." Nicole said, nodding. "Just a stomachache."   
  
"Okay, well, we'll all go." Matt answered.   
  
"You don't have to." Nicole protested.   
  
"It's okay." Adam explained. "It's late, we should all get back to the hotel and get some sleep."   
  
Giving in, Nicole nodded and followed her friends as they made their way to the door. Before she walked out the door, she noticed the look Paul Heyman sent her. It was a look that told her this was far from over.

**Here's the next chapter… hope you guys like it!  Let us know what you think!!!!  Thanks! **Britney and Nicole**


	3. Part 3

PART THREE 

****

BACK AT THE HOTEL 

Britney and Nicole walked into the hotel room that they were sharing after saying goodbye to Adam and Matt.  Britney eyed her friend curiously as she threw her purse down on the table and went into the bathroom.  The young woman sat down on one of the beds, waiting for her friend to emerge.  When she finally came out, Britney sent her a questioning look.

"Nic?  What's wrong?" she asked as Nicole came over and sat on her own bed.  Shaking her head, Nicole searched around for the TV remote.

"Nothing," she said as she found the remote and clicked the television on.  She glanced over at Britney, frowning when she saw the look Britney was giving her.  She was obviously not satisfied with her answer.  "Look, about what happened at the club… I just wanted to get out of there.  I didn't feel good and…"

"Bullshit," Britney shot back at her.  "Nickie, I _know_ you.  There's no way you'd ask me to leave if you had a stomachache.  And I find it funny that Matt told me you wanted to leave right after standing next to Paul Heyman.  Nic, if he said or did anything to you, just tell me."  Nicole frowned… sometimes she hated it that Britney knew her so well, but being friends your entire life will do that to you.

"Okay, so Heyman was an ass when I went up to the bar.  He's always an ass… you know he hates us Brit," she said, looking at the wall.  Britney didn't look amused in the least bit.  If she didn't think that the fat asshole would sit on her, she'd kick his ass herself.

"So?  That doesn't give him a right to come in there and make us feel like we have to leave.  I wish you would have told me ahead of time.  I would have went up to that slimeball and said something," she said determinedly.  Nicole sighed, running her fingers through her brown hair.

"Yeah I know you would Brit.  So let's say I was doing you a favor," she said.  She loved Britney to death, but the blonde woman had a mouth and a half on her, one that could get her in a lot of trouble, especially now that Paul was toting around Brock Lesnar.

"What's _that_ supposed to mean?" she asked, snapping her head in Nicole's direction.

Shaking her head, the young woman answered, "I didn't mean anything by it.  Look, I don't want to start a fight with you Brit… especially not over Paul Heyman.  Let's just go to bed, okay?"  Britney frowned, but she nodded.

"Okay."  The two of them laid silently, watching TV, still in their clothes.  About ten minutes later, Nicole turned to Britney as the phone rang.

"Hello?" Nicole answered, wondering who would call them at this time of night.

"Hello Nicole," a voice called from the other end.  That squeal, it could only belong to one person… Paul Heyman.

"What do you want?" she asked angrily.

"Just wanted to see how you were doing… you left the club so suddenly.  Are you not feeling well?" he asked.  Nicole wrinkled her nose in disgust.

"I was doing just fine until your fat ass called me," she said nastily.  Britney then realized that she had to be talking to Heyman and she scowled.

"Ouch, that was a little harsh.  So anyway, how's that pretty little friend of yours doing?  You know, her and Adam Copeland looked mighty close tonight. I would watch…"

Nicole slammed the phone down after screaming, "Don't drag her into this!" into the mouthpiece.  Britney looked at her, eyes wide at her reaction.

"I need to get out of here," Nicole said, placing her hand on her forehead.

"Wanna go for a walk?" Britney offered, starting to sit up.  Nicole nodded, standing up and following her best friend out the door.

OUTSIDE 

Britney and Nicole walked down an empty street, joined by Adam and Matt.  When they were heading out of the hotel, they bumped into the two guys, who were beating the hell out of a vending machine in the hallway for not giving them their five dollar candy bar.  When they told them they were going out for a walk, they insisted on going with them.  The four of them walked down the dark city street, surprised at how empty it was for still being fairly early.

"So what made you guys want to come out here?" Adam asked, eyeing the girls curiously.  Britney looked at Nicole for a moment before speaking.  She wasn't sure if her friend would want the guys to know about the phone call.

"We just, uh… we just wanted fresh air," Britney lied.  

Adam knew she wasn't telling the truth, but he settled on her answer after seeing the way she looked at Nickie.  There had to be something more, but he could always get it out of her when Nicole wasn't around.  The four of them walked on a little further, nobody really saying much of anything.  At one point, Nicole turned around and looked behind them.  She could have sworn she saw someone standing about twenty feet back.  She shrugged it off, figuring it was just someone standing out on the streets.  A minute later, she turned around again, unable to shake the feeling that someone was watching them.  This time, she squinted and tried to make out who the person was.  She gasped silently as she suddenly figured it out… 5'10, about 300 and something pounds… Paul Heyman.  He was watching them.  Suddenly getting a terrible feeling in her stomach, Nicole tugged at Britney and Matt's arms.

"I want to go back now guys… I'm getting tired," she said, forcing herself to look ahead and not back.  Britney raised an eyebrow.

"Just a little while longer Nic… please?  It's really nice out," Britney begged, pouting playfully.

"I can take you back if you want," Adam offered.  Matt shook his head, seeing this as his opportunity to get Adam and Britney alone.

"No, I'll take her.  You two just go on… right Nic?" he asked, putting his arm on her shoulder.  Even though she was a little scared, she smiled.

"Yeah… you guys go, Matt can walk me back," she assured them.  They said goodbye, and Matt and Nicole crossed the street and turned back.  Both Britney and Adam thought it was odd that Nicole made Matt cross the street before they turned back, neither one of them said anything.  They walked along in silence, both of them unable to find the right thing to say.

"So," Adam said, hoping to strike up some kind of conversation.  Damn it, they never had any trouble talking when there was other people around, but as soon as they were alone they clammed up.

"So…"

Suddenly, something popped into Adam's mind.  "So, tell me why Nickie really wanted to leave the club earlier tonight… because I'm guessing it has a lot to do with why you guys decided to take a walk," he said.  Britney's head shot up.  She wasn't sure if she should tell him.  Nickie might get mad… but then again, it was only Adam.

"Well… I guess you could say that," Britney said, and Adam eyed her curiously.  Coming across a bench, he sat down, encouraging her to sit next to him.

"What happened?" he asked, concern flooding his features.

"Well, earlier when we were at the club, Nickie went to the bar to get a drink, and Paul Heyman was there," she started, and Adam instantly scowled.  He hated that man, and his big mute Brock Lesnar.  "And he apparently said something to her.  I just don't understand why he hates us so much… we never did anything to him."

Adam nodded, "Of course you didn't.  He's just an ass."  He felt a pang of sympathy for his two friends, mainly Nicole.

"And then, um… he… he called our hotel room," Britney said quietly, looking away.  She knew Adam would get mad after hearing that.

"What?  That stupid mother…"

"Adam, don't.  You calling him names isn't going to make him go away.  I… I just wish he'd leave us, mainly her alone.  And with the way he's dragging Brock along… it scares me," she admitted.

Placing his arm around her shoulder protectively, Adam responded, "Well, you don't have to be scared.  I would never let anything happen to you guys."  Britney smiled softly at him… he was the sweetest guy in the world.

"Thanks Adam," she said.  Adam heard her, but he didn't answer.  He looked past her, back in the direction of where they had come from.  He could see someone standing there… someone who looked a lot like Paul Heyman.  _That's why Nickie wanted to leave._  He suddenly stood, grabbing Britney and pulling her up with him.

"Let's go back to the hotel," he said, suddenly feeling a strong urge to get her out of there.  She sent him a questioning look, but followed him.  As he led her across the street, he couldn't help but wonder what in hell Heyman was up to.

**Okay, next chapter!  Glad you guys like this so far! CHEAP PLUG ALERT!!! Check out our site if you haven't yet!  The address is in my bio page!  Thanks guys!!  **Britney and Nicole**


	4. Part 4

**PART FOUR**   
  


  
AT THE HOTEL  
"Hey, you going to be okay?" Matt asked, noticing how worried Nicole looked. 

  
  
She just nodded and forced a smile. "Yeah, I'll be fine Matt. Thanks for walking me back." 

  
  
"No problem, but are you sure you'll be okay?" 

  
  
"I promise I'll be fine. Thanks again Matt." Nicole replied, giving him a quick hug before stepping into her room. 

  
  
Running her hands through her shoulder length hair, Nicole suddenly got the feeling someone was watching her. She would always get that feeling from time to time, but she always tried to just shake it off. This time, she had no such luck.  In an attempt to make herself feel more secure, she shut the curtains in the room and locked the windows. She also made sure to turn on every light in the room, feeling safer if she could see everything. 

  
  
"Damn Paul Heyman." She cursed, finding it unbelievable that he could scare her this bad. She could probably fight him off if she wanted to, but something about him made her think he *could* do something if he wanted to. Especially with Brock Lesnar as his client. 

  
  
Nicole didn't understand what Brock saw in Paul as a manager, the man was basically just a sleaze ball. When Brock first got to the WWE, Nicole had wanted to get to know him. He was like her, quiet and reserved around new people. One day, Nicole had convinced Britney to go with her to talk to Brock, but to their surprise, when they found Brock, they found Paul Heyman. 

  
  
Both girls having a history with Heyman, they also distanced themselves from Brock. Nicole started questioning if Brock was really the person she had first assumed he was. Hanging out with Heyman and being as big as he was, many people feared Brock. But, it wasn't Brock that Nicole feared, it was Heyman. 

  
  
Nicole jumped when a knock at the door interrupted her thoughts. She walked slowly to the door, hoping it was just Matt checking back up on her. She had known Matt to act like the overprotective brotherly type many times. 

  
  
Opening the door slowly, Nicole gasped when she met the blue eyes of the person standing on the other side. "Brock?" 

  
  
He just nodded, looking very uncomfortable. "Yeah… uh… I just wanted to say, um… sorry." 

  
  
Nicole raised an eyebrow at Brock, not understanding what was going on. "Sorry? Why would you be sorry?" 

  
  
"For Paul, before." 

  
  
Still confused, Nicole eyed Brock suspiciously. "But, you didn't say anything to me." 

  
  
"Exactly." Brock said, regret showing in his eyes. "I didn't say anything while Heyman acted like an ass. And, well I just wanted you to know that the things he said… I didn't think them." 

  
  
"Thank you." Nicole replied, smiling sincerely. "Heyman's always been an ass to me and Brit, it's nothing new." 

  
  
"Yeah, he's told me more than once how much he hates you guys. Why though?" 

  
  
Shrugging, Nicole met Brock's eyes. "I guess he doesn't think we deserve to be here because we had it easy since Brit is a McMahon and I'm her best friend." 

  
  
"But, you two work your asses off, fighting guys and girls, that doesn't earn his respect?" Brock questioned, still confused as to why Heyman could hate these two women he saw as nothing but sweet. 

  
  
"Guess not. We don't want his respect, and we don't care if he doesn't like us. But, he's just a slime ball, always watching us, wherever we go. It gets creepy." 

  
  
"You don't think that's where he went tonight…? Did you leave the room at all?" Brock questioned, feeling more and more angry at Heyman, even though he wasn't sure why. 

  
  
"Yeah, we went for a walk, but I wasn't feeling well, so I came back with Matt." Nicole replied. "Wait, what about Paul leaving?" 

  
  
Sighing, Brock looked down at her. "He said he had an 'errand' to run. I didn't anything of it, but now that you mention it… I don't know." 

  
  
"We saw him." 

  
  
"You what?" Brock questioned, his head shooting up, suddenly feeling protective of the little brunette. He couldn't put his finger on what it was, but something about her made him feel like Heyman was worse to her than she was saying.

   
  
"We were walking; me, Brit, Matt, and Adam, and I saw him, he was a few feet behind us, he tried to stay hidden, but I saw him." She explained. 

  
  
Looking in her eyes, Brock could tell how much Heyman had scared her. He wanted to say something to comfort her, but that wasn't him. If Heyman even knew he was here, talking to the 'enemy' as Paul had put it, he would freak out. Not that Brock was afraid of him, he just knew that if one person could propel his career, it was Heyman. 

  
  
Nicole noticed how silent Brock was being and it bothered her. She expected him to at least be a little mad about what his manager had done. The weird thing was, she didn't know why she cared. Brock and Heyman worked together, they were friends as far as she knew, but Brock had come to her room, to check on her, and he seemed to be mad that Heyman had been watching her. But, why did he care? 

  
  
"So… was that all you wanted?" Nicole questioned, looking up at Brock. For the first time, she became very aware of how large he was. She had never really been close enough to him to look, except for when she ran into him earlier, but that was just for a second. Now she got to look at him; well over 6 foot tall, nearly 300 pounds, he was huge. 

  
  
"Um… yeah, I just wanted to apologize for Paul." 

  
  
"Okay…" 

  
  
The two just stood in an awkward silence for the next few minutes. Brock didn't want to leave, and he didn't know why, but he didn't know what to say. Noticing that she wasn't looking at him at the moment, he took his chance to look her over. 

  
  
Ever since he had first joined the WWE, he had known she was beautiful, and he had wanted to get to know her. But, Heyman wouldn't 'allow' it. Brock normally wouldn't have cared, but he knew what Heyman could do if he didn't listen. 

  
  
He let his eyes wander over her, she looked so small compared to him. She only stood at about 5 foot 4, and she wasn't wearing shoes, so she couldn't make up for it. He looked down at her hands, which were crossed in front of her chest. He noticed how small they looked. It suddenly made him aware of the fact that even though she could hold her own against many of the men in WWE, if anyone, including Paul caught her off guard, there was a chance that she might not be able to protect herself. And although he didn't know why, it made him concerned for her safety. It made him want to protect her. But, he knew he couldn't, Paul was his manager and he couldn't become friends, or anything else with the 'enemy'. 

  
  
Still standing there, in an awkward kind of silence, he figured it was most likely to leave. "So, I guess all I wanted to say was sorry…" 

  
  
"It's nice to know that you care and that you're sorry for something you didn't do." 

  
  
Brock nodded and was about to turn around when he heard a voice approaching them. Thinking quickly, he did the only thing he could think of. "Sorry? You think I'm actually sorry? Hell, I laughed as soon as you walked away. It was funny to see a bitch like you get what you deserve!" 

  
  
Looking up at him in shock, Nicole had no idea what was going on. "Why… why did you come here then?" 

  
  
Eyeing her, Brock just smiled. "Because I just wanted to see if you'd believe me. And from what I've heard, sweet talking you might get me somewhere, if you know what I mean." 

  
  
Nicole just stared at him, her blue eyes wide and filling with tears. What the hell was going on? Not more than a minute ago he was being sweet to her, now he was calling her a bitch among other things? 

  
  
"What's the matter?" Brock questioned, laughing. "Don't worry, I don't think I want anything from you anyways." Smirking at her, he quickly turned away, instantly feeling bad. But, he couldn't let Paul see them talking. If he did, Paul would get him back. 

  
  
Still shocked, Nicole quickly shut the door to her hotel room. She didn't even notice Paul Heyman smile and follow Brock. Leaning against the door, she closed her eyes, letting the tears fall. She didn't understand what had just happened, Brock was so nice at first. What got her more was that she didn't even know why she cared. 

  
  
Jumping when she felt someone turning the doorknob, she wiped the tears from her eyes quickly. Giving Britney and Adam a quick smile as they walked in, she tried not to make eye contact, knowing they would see how red her eyes were. 

  
  
"Hey Nic, you okay?" Britney asked immediately, noticing how upset Nicole looked.   
  


  
Nodding, Nicole smiled, quickly meeting Britney's eyes, then looking down. "I'm fine, why wouldn't I be?"

   
  
"I don't know, you just look sad." Britney replied. 

  
  
"Yeah." Adam agreed. "Did something happen?" 

  
  
"No, I'm fine guys. I promise. I'm just tired, I'm going to go to bed." 

  
  
"Okay, if you're sure." Britney said, hugging her friend. 

  
  
Adam waved and watched as Nicole walked into her room. "Is she okay?" He asked when she was gone. 

  
  
Shrugging, Britney turned back to him. "I don't know Adam, I honestly don't know."

**Here's the next chapter… what do you think??  Review please!!!!  Thanks!  **Britney and Nicole**


	5. Part 5

PART 5

THE NEXT DAY

Britney walked through the hallways of the arena, searching for someone's locker room.  A locker room belonging to a certain 6'5", 294 pound asshole.  The blonde woman had talked to Nicole the night before after she and Adam returned to the hotel.  After some prying, she got what had happened out of her friend.  Nicole had told her that Brock Lesnar had come to the room and apologized for Paul Heyman's actions.  Then, a little while into the apology, he took it all back and basically laughed in her face about it.  If there was one thing that pissed Britney off to no end, it was people like that… especially when the people were messing with her best friend.  Finally, she came across a room that had a sign on it reading 'Brock Lesnar.'  Taking a deep breath, she planted her feet on the floor and firmly knocked on the door.  She silently hoped that Paul Heyman wasn't there… it would be much easier to talk to Brock without that slime around.  She watched as the door slowly creaked open, and Brock Lesnar appeared.

"What do you want?" he asked, eyes narrowing down at her.  Britney rolled her eyes, crossing her arms over her chest.

"Let me in, I need to talk to you," she said pointedly.  Brock raised an eyebrow at her, backing up and letting her in.  Shutting the door, he turned to face her again.

"I repeat, what do you want?" he questioned, his tone not as firm this time.

"I want to know what the hell is wrong with you," she stated plainly.  Brock sat down on the couch, crossing his arms as he waited for her to continue.  "Nickie has done nothing to you since the day you got here… why the hell are you gonna go and be an asshole to her?"

"Because I hate both of you," he said, looking away.  He glanced back for a second, wincing slightly as he noticed the hurt look in her eyes.  She wasn't going to make it easy for him to be an asshole.

"But why?  We never did anything to you," she said, almost sadly.  Brock looked away again.  _Damn it, it would be so much easier to be an asshole to these girls if they weren't so damn nice and cute._  Sighing, Brock ran his hand over the top of his head.

"Look, why can't you just accept the fact that I don't like you guys?  I don't need a reason, I just DON'T," he said, standing up and moving closer to her.  He was hoping maybe he could intimidate her enough to make her decide to leave.  Britney looked up, seeing Lesnar moving towards her.  She shifted as she leaned against the wall, not afraid of him in the least.

"Brock, I don't think you know who you're messing with," she replied sternly, glaring up at him.  Brock let out a short laugh.

"Oh yeah, and who is it exactly that I'm messing with?" he asked, eagerly awaiting her response.

"Me," she answered, causing him to again raise an eyebrow.  "Nicole might take the shit you say to her and not say anything back, but I won't.  I don't why the hell you insist on listening to that fat bastard Paul Heyman, but I seriously suggest you knock it off!"

"Don't get cocky with me you little bitch," he said, causing her eyes to at first widen, but then narrow even more.  "Look, I'll do whatever I damn well please.  I don't know why you're so intent on separating Heyman and me, but it won't work.  Just drop it and get the hell out of my locker room."  Shaking her head, Britney walked to the door, deciding to give up for now.

"Fine, I'll leave.  Just think about what I said, please," she requested quietly, opening the door to leave.  Brock crossed his arms against his muscular chest.

"Why should I?" he asked, eyeing the young woman as she stepped out into the hall.  She turned back once more, glancing at him sadly.

"Because I know you aren't really like this.  Because I know that you don't really want to listen to Heyman.  Most importantly, because you're hurting people Brock," she said, turning and walking away from the room.  After she was gone, Brock's gaze dropped.  She was right, he *was* hurting people, people he felt deep down didn't deserve to be hurt.  Still, he had to be this way.  He had only been in WWE for a few months and he was already going to win the WWE Championship.  The Minnesota native knew that the only reason this was happening was because of the good word Paul Heyman was putting in for him.  He had to stay this way, be mean to people he knew were nothing but nice… he had no choice.

LATER THAT AFTERNOON 

Britney and Nicole sat in Stephanie McMahon's office, waiting for the brunette to arrive.  They had requested a meeting with her so they could talk about the issues they were having with Paul Heyman.  After a few moments, Stephanie entered the room, taking a seat behind her oak desk.  She looked at the two girls sitting in front of her, folding her hands on the desk.

"Okay guys, what's up?" she asked, eyeing the two women curiously.

"Well, we…" Britney started, her mouth dropping open when the door opened and Paul Heyman entered the room, taking a seat next to her.

"Sorry I'm late Steph," he said, settling himself into the chair.  "Hi girls," he said sweetly.  Britney scowled at him.

"What is he doing here?" she asked, whipping her head back to face her cousin.  Stephanie's eyes widened slightly at the anger in her little cousin's eyes.  She hoped she wouldn't be *too* mad at her for bringing Paul into the meeting too.

"I figured since he was half of the issue I should bring him in too.  It's better to have both sides in the room when you're trying to resolve a problem Brit," she said.  Britney rolled her eyes… she loved Stephanie to death, but sometimes she treated her like such a little kid, which was odd since they were only three years apart.

"Great idea," she stated dryly, leaning back in her chair.  Stephanie shook her head and then focused on all three of them.

"Okay, what seems to be the problem here?" she asked, shifting her gaze between the three people sitting in front of her.

"This asshole," Britney said angrily, pointing a finger at Heyman, "has been bothering us for months Steph.  He follows us around, stares at us, called our hotel room… he even _followed_ us last night when we went for a walk."  Stephanie's eyes narrowed as she looked over at Paul.

"Is that true?" she asked sternly, awaiting an answer.  If all this was the case, she had suddenly found herself a list of reasons to kick Paul off the creative team.

"Well… yes, but I can explain!" he said quickly, an idea suddenly springing to his mind.  Stephanie sat back a little in her seat.

"Well?  Explain then!" she said, crossing her arms in front of her.

"You see," Heyman said, taking a deep breath, "a little while ago, an idea came to me about a storyline… one involving these girls.  And, see, I was thinking that if we found a guy that they were close too, he would want to defend the girls from me and then he and Brock could have a nice match.  I just figured that I would watch the girls a little more closely… you know, _observe_ them, if you will.  Maybe I went a little too far for something that would only last one show, but who knows?  Maybe it could stretch into a whole feud!  That way, I can pinpoint their best qualities and then bring the ideas to the writing team!"  When he was done, he smiled, secretly satisfied with his last minute response.  Britney shifted her gaze to her cousin, looking at her in surprise when the Smackdown GM seemed to be in thought.

"You know, now that I think I about it, you have a pretty good idea Paul," Stephanie said, nodding in approval.  Britney looked at her like she was crazy.  She looked over at Nicole, trying to see what her reaction was.  She knew her best friend wouldn't say anything… she always did clam up and get shy at times like this, so she spoke for both of them.

"Are you fucking crazy?  Steph, I don't believe you're even _considering _this bullshit idea!" she cried, staring at her cousin in amazement.  She thought back to what Paul said.  _"...observe them, if you will."  Observe my ass.  Ogling is more like it._

"Britney, be quiet.  Seriously, Paul," she said, turning to Heyman and ignoring her cousin.  "I've really been wanting to give Edge a push lately.  Everyone knows he's good friends with Britney and Nicole… they've teamed up numerous times… this would be a great way to give him that push, especially if we turn this into a full fledged feud.  What do you think Paul?"  Britney threw her hands in the air, finding it unbelievable that she actually bought into Heyman's shit.  She looked over at Nicole, who had suddenly become fascinated with the floor.

"Come on Nic, we're out of here," she said, grabbing her hand and storming out of the room.  Stephanie shook her head, knowing that just like any other time she was pissed, Britney would get over it and move on.

"Anyway," she said, turning back to Heyman, "what do you think of that?  Putting Edge in as the guy that defends them?"  When she opened up her laptop, probably to type up the idea, Heyman smiled sardonically.  He stood, preparing to exit the room.

"Believe me Stephanie when I say that it's one of the _best_ ideas I've heard in a long time."

**Okay, here's the next chapter.  Hope you guys like it… review please!!!!!  Thanks!!!!!  **Britney and Nicole**


	6. Part 6

**PART SIX ****  
**  
THE NEXT NIGHT   
  
"I can't believe her!" Britney exploded.   
  
"Brit, I have no problem fighting Lesnar. I've actually wanted this match for a while." Adam explained, hoping to calm her down.   
  
"It's not that! That slimy bastard got off by coming up with this idea!" Britney replied, looking at Nicole.   
  
Glancing up, Nicole met her best friend's eyes and gave her a slight smile. "It'll be okay Brit. Adam can beat Brock."   
  
"What about Heyman?" Britney replied, noticing how Nicole winced at the name. If she couldn't even stand hearing his name, how would she do out in front of thousands of people during Adam and Brock's match?   
  
"We'll deal with Heyman if we have to. Now, let's go, the match is on in a minute." Nicole answered, looking at her friends and walking out the door. Truth was, she was scared to be out there with Heyman and Brock, but she knew she had to. But, she had to be strong, she couldn't let Heyman get the best of her.   
  
THE MATCH   
  
"Come on Adam!" Nicole and Britney yelled, pounding on the apron, trying to will Adam to fight out of the hold Brock had on his head. Glancing over, Nicole noticed Paul Heyman grinning at her. Shuddering and shaking it off, Nicole turned her attention back to the match.   
  
"Our cue." Britney pointed out after a minute, noticing that Adam, Brock and the referee were all down. Nicole nodded and followed her. Britney climbed in the ring and distracted Brock while Nicole climbed up on the top turnbuckle and executed a hurricanrana on Brock.   
  
Getting back to her feet, Nicole smiled at the crowd, getting a very positive reaction. As she was smiling and waving to the crowd, Nicole didn't notice that Paul Heyman was approaching her. She also didn't realize that he had a steel chair in his hands.   
  
Looking to her right, Britney noticed Paul Heyman getting in the ring. She also noticed the chair in his hand. As he reached the chair above his head, Britney thought quick and pushed Nicole out of the way, taking the chair shot for her.   
  
Adam was slowly getting to his feet when he saw Britney get hit with the chair. Not even thinking about Heyman, Adam quickly rushed to Britney's side, seeing if she was okay.   
  
Smiling at his feat, Paul turned to Nicole, who was getting back up with help from the ropes. Glancing over at Britney quickly, he noticed that Adam was tending to her and not even paying attention to him. Focusing his attention back on Nicole, he raised the chair above his hand and went to swing.   
  
Before he could swing, Paul felt someone grab the chair from his hands. He turned around to meet the chest of Brock Lesnar. Glancing up, Paul met Brock's eyes, which were full of rage.   
  
"What the hell do you think you're doing?" Paul questioned as Brock threw the chair out of his reach.   
  
"Me? What the hell are you doing? This wasn't what was supposed to happen! Nicole and Britney were supposed to hit me and Adam was supposed to win!" Brock yelled back.   
  
"The bitch deserved it!" Paul spat back, glaring at Nicole who was watching the whole situation with wide eyes.   
  
Glancing at Nicole once more, Brock grabbed Paul by the shirt collar and pulled him out of the ring, and up the ramp.   
  
Once they were gone, Nicole looked over at Britney, who hadn't moved at all. Rushing to her side, she tried to shake Adam from his trance, knowing that they needed to get Britney to the back.   
  
"Adam!" Nicole yelled, finally getting his attention.   
  
"Huh?"   
  
"Come on, we have to get her to the back." Nicole instructed, sliding out of the ring. Adam followed and picked up Britney carefully, walking up the ramp, to the back.   
  
"Is she okay?" Matt questioned immediately after they got backstage.   
  
"I don't know, I have to get her to the trainer." Adam replied, pushing past them.   
  
"Are you okay?" Matt questioned, looking at Nicole.   
  
"I'm fine, I hit my head when I fell, but I'm fine. I just hope Brit's okay." Nicole replied, sighing. "Um… I'm just going to go change, I'll see you later Matt."   
  
Hugging her, Matt nodded. "See you later Nic."   
  
TRAINER'S ROOM   
  
"Brit? Are you okay?" Adam questioned, trying to wake her up.   
  
"Adam, you need to calm down. We have to check her out." One trainer replied.   
  
"What's going on?"   
  
"Brit!" Adam exclaimed, jumping out of his seat.   
  
Grabbing her head, Britney groaned. "Adam, please don't yell."   
  
"Sorry." He replied, now whispering. "Are you okay?"   
  
"Yeah… I just want to go back to the hotel and go to sleep."   
  
"You can't go to sleep Britney." The trainer replied. "You might have a concussion. Sleep would be the worst thing for you now."   
  
"Fine, can I just go back to the hotel then?"   
  
"I suppose, as long as you won't be alone."   
  
"She wont." Adam replied. "I'll stay with her."   
  
THE HOTEL   
  
"Adam, you didn't have to do this." Britney said as Adam laid her down on the bed.   
  
"Yes I did. You were hurt and I couldn't let you stay by yourself."   
  
"Aw, thanks Adam." Britney replied, smiling. "Hey, where's Nicole?"   
  
"I don't know, I haven't seen her since you got hurt."   
  
"Shit, I wonder where she is."   
  
"I'm sure she's okay. But, I'll call her cell to be sure." He replied, seeing the worried look on Britney's face.   
  
"Thanks."   
  
Picking up his phone, Adam dialed Nicole's number, hoping she would answer.   
  
"Hello?"   
  
"Nic, where are you?"   
  
"Um… I'll be there in a few minutes." Nicole replied.   
  
"Where are you though?" Adam asked again.   
  
"I'm still at the arena. I have to do something. I'll be back soon. Don't worry."   
  
Shaking his head, Adam hung up and turned back to Britney. "She'll be back soon."   
  
"Is she okay?"   
  
He just nodded and sat back down next to her on the bed. "She's fine, she just had to do something I guess."   
  
"Oh okay, well I really wanted to thank you." Britney said, surprising Adam.   
  
"Thank me for what? I didn't stop you from getting hit. If I had you wouldn't need me here right now."   
  
Grabbing his hand, Britney smiled. "No, this isn't your fault. I took that shot for Nicole, that was my choice. There wasn't anything either of you could do to stop me. But, you didn't have to come back here with me, and you did. I appreciate that."   
  
"It's really no big deal." Adam protested.   
  
"It is to me." Britney replied, hugging him.   
  
Pulling away, she looked up at him, meeting his eyes. Smiling, he leaned down and kissed her gently. After a second he pulled away, realizing that he just made what could possibly be a huge mistake. "Brit, I… I'm sorry." He said, running his hands through his hair.   
  
"Adam, Adam." Britney said, grabbing his hand again. "Don't apologize."   
  
"You mean you…"   
  
Cutting him off, Britney placed her lips on his, kissing him deeply. "Is that a good enough answer?" She asked after they had pulled away.   
  
"Well, it's about time." Turning around, they both blushed when they noticed that Nicole had seen the whole thing.   
  
"Excuse me?" Britney questioned, eyeing her friend.   
  
"You two have had a thing for each other since forever. You were just too busy denying it to do anything about it." Nicole explained.   
  
"Is that so?" Adam asked, grinning.   
  
"Yes it is, and I'm glad you both admitted it, cuz you're so cute together." Nicole responded. "Oh Brit, how's your head?"   
  
"I'm okay. No big deal."   
  
"It is a big deal, thanks for taking that shot for me." Nicole replied, walking over to hug her friend. "I should be thanking Brock too, but I don't plan on going to find him anytime soon."   
  
"Wait, thank Brock?" Adam questioned. "For what?"   
  
"You didn't see it?" Nicole asked, watching as her friends both shook their heads. "After Heyman hit Brit, he went to hit me. Brock grabbed the chair from him and dragged him out of the ring."'   
  
"That man doesn't make any sense. One minute he's nice, then he's a jerk, then he saves you. What's his deal?" Britney questioned.   
  
"I don't know, but I really appreciate what he did. Maybe I'll thank him tomorrow, when Heyman has his meeting with Steph and the other writers."   
  
"If you go, I'm coming with you."   
  
"Brit, I'm a big girl, I'm not scared of Brock, or Heyman for that matter. I just can't stand being around Heyman. He makes me want to puke." She retorted.   
  
Sighing, Britney gave in, knowing that she didn't want to argue with Nicole. She only hoped Brock's jerk attitude was only an act, and that Nicole knew what she could be getting into.

New chapter… hope you guys like it… let us know!  **Britney and Nicole


	7. Part 7

PART 7 

THE NEXT DAY 

Adam rolled over in bed, glancing over at the clock.  He jumped slightly as he realized that it was after 10:30.  He hadn't checked on Britney in nearly five hours.  He had woken up almost every two or so hours to check on her since they'd went to sleep at around 11:30.  Turning over, he saw that she was asleep.  Placing his hand on her shoulder, he gently shook her, trying to stir her out of her sleep.  After a moment, she began to move.  She slowly opened her eyes, smiling when she saw the Canadian looking down at her.  

"Hi," she said quietly.  

Grinning with relief, he replied, "Hey… how's your head?"

"It's okay… it still kind of hurts, but I'll live," she replied.  Looking past Britney to the other bed, he saw that Nicole wasn't there.  Raising an eyebrow, he drew his gaze back to Britney.

"Nic must have went to talk to Brock already," he noted.  Britney shifted and looked over at the empty bed and frowned.

"Damn it… I didn't want her to go to his room alone," she said, turning back to face Adam.  Putting his arm on her waist, he pulled closer to him.

"Don't worry Brit, you heard her last night… she's a big girl.  She'll be fine, and besides, Heyman won't even be there," he assured him.  Britney sighed, thinking back to the conversation she had with Brock the other day, as well as the encounter Nicole had, and what happened last night in the ring.  She wished he would make his damn mind up already.  Still, he was right about Nicole being an adult and being able to handle the issue herself.

"I guess you're right," she said, looking up into his eyes.  

Her breath caught in her throat as she realized how close their faces were.  Adam's reaction was exactly the same.  His breath stopped as he thought back to the night before, specifically to their kiss.  He had waited so long for that moment, and it was everything he had expected and hoped for.  Still, Britney _had_ been hit in the head with a steel chair only a few hours before, so he wasn't totally sure that it was what she _really _wanted.

"Um, about last night," he started, suddenly finding himself feeling nervous.

"What about it?" Britney asked.  Seeing the uneasy look in his eyes, she continued, "Adam, I told you not to apologize for kissing me." 

Shaking his head, he replied, "I know.  I wasn't going to apologize.  I just… I need to know what it meant to you."  Cocking an eyebrow, Britney eyed him curiously.

"What do you mean?" she asked in a somewhat puzzled tone.

"I… well, I need to know if that means something.  What it just a kiss, or are we… are we…" he said, trailing off and looking away.

"Are we together?" she finished for him.  Her gaze softened as he looked back down at her.  "Adam, it meant something… it meant everything.  I… I really want to be with you."  Breathing a sigh of relief, Adam grinned widely.

"That's great Brit.  I was so afraid that it wouldn't mean anything to you.  I… I've wanted this for so long, and…"

He stopped talking when Britney put a finger to his lips, silencing him.  Drawing his head down to hers, she kissed him softly.  A few minutes later, they both pulled away, smiling at each other.  Adam wrapped his arm more tightly around her, grinning as she leaned up and kissed him once more.

DOWN THE HALL 

Nicole took a deep breath as she stood in front of the large white door.  She brought her hand up to knock, only to quickly drop it back to her side.  She sighed, running a hand through her brown hair, trying to will herself to knock on the door.  Maybe it wasn't such a good idea to go to Brock's room and thank him after all.  _Get a hold of yourself Nic.  The guy saved you from getting whacked in the head with a steel chair.  You at least owe him a thank you._  Sighing again, she placed her hand on the door, hesitating.  Finally, she stopped being a wimp and knocked firmly on the door.  She stepped back and waited, jumping slightly when she heard the door open.  She looked up to meet the eyes of Brock Lesnar.

"Um… hi," he said, suddenly finding himself nervous.  Nicole's eyes darted away, feeling the exact same way.

"Hi, uh… can I come in?  Just for a minute?" she asked, forcing herself to look up at him.  Their eyes met for about a second, both of them immediately looking away again.  Stepping back a little, Brock held the door open for her.

"Uh… sure," he said, watching as she walked past him and entered the room.

"I, uh… I wanted to thank you.  For what you did last night," she began, having to try hard to keep her voice steady.

"You don't have to thank me.  I… I couldn't let him hit you," he replied, shifting back and forth uncomfortably on his feet.  Nicole shook her head.

"I know I didn't have to thank you… I _wanted _to.  You… you saved me from quite a bit of pain Brock," she commented, giving a small laugh.  Brock smiled… well, it was actually more like a half smile, but it was the first real sign of emotion Nicole had seen from the man since they met.  She watched as the huge man walked over to the table, sitting down on one of the chairs.

"I may have saved you, but I didn't save Britney.  If I had known Heyman was going to…"

"Brock, it's okay.  I'm sure there will be no love lost between you and Britney… there isn't much love there at all," she interrupted, laughing again.  This time, Brock actually smiled, and Nicole could swear she heard a small laugh accompany it.

"True… so, is she okay?  I wanted to check after the match, but I was kind of afraid Adam would try and kill me if I went near her," he said.  Nicole smiled at the sudden compassion filling his tone.  It almost sounded like he actually cared about them.

"That was a safe move… the trainers had to peel him off of her just so they could check her out.  She's fine though… actually, I'm betting that she's even better than fine," she replied, thinking back to when she walked in on her best friend and Adam kissing.  Brock raised an eyebrow at her comment, but he shrugged it off.

"That's good.  So, uh…" he said, trailing off.  For a little while there, they were having a normal, civilized conversation, almost like they were friends.  But now, that uncomfortable silence was working its way back into the room.

"Uh… so…"

Brock made a sudden motion, like he was going to stand, but then he abruptly sat back down again.  He opened his mouth again to speak, wincing slightly when no words came out.  _Calm down Brock._

"So, is, uh… is that all you wanted?  To thank me?" he asked, trying to jump start the conversation again.  Nodding, Nicole looked down at her feet.

"Yeah, just, uh… wanted to say thanks for helping me," she answered.

"Well, your welcome.  Is… is that all?" he asked, placing one of his arms on the table.  Looking back up at him, she nodded.

"Yeah, I… guess I better go.  Thanks Brock," she said, turning and heading for the door.  Then, something went off in her brain, and she knew she wouldn't be able to leave until she'd said everything she needed to.  "Actually Brock, that's not all," she said, causing his ears to perk up.

"Okay…"

"I wanted to ask you something.  Why are you so hot and cold like this?  I mean, one minute you're nice, the next minute you're an asshole, then you're in between, then you're nice again… why don't you just make up your mind?"  Sighing, Brock looked up at the ceiling.  _Because I can't…_

"Look, I can't really explain why I'm acting this way, okay?" he said, bringing his gaze back over to her.  Nicole frowned, unsatisfied with his answer.

"Well why not?"

"Because I don't KNOW why!" he yelled suddenly, causing her to jump.  "Look Nicole, I just have to be this way okay.  I have to be an asshole to you because quite frankly if I'm not, Paul will pull the plug on my big push.  I really want to be WWE Champion, I've wanted to be all my life… but you and Britney are making it really hard for me!" 

"What the hell is that supposed to mean?" she asked, offended.

"It means, I'm only mean to you guys because I have to be, okay?  Heyman always feeds me shit about how you guys are trash, and well… he's the reason I'm where I am, so I have to do what he says," he answered.  Nicole shook her head.  Why would a man like Brock be afraid of a man like Paul Heyman?  "Hey, it's nothing personal.  From what I've seen of you two girls, you're nothing but sweet.  Your friend Britney's got a bit of a temper on her, but other than that you guys seem great.  I just can't be associated with you unless I'm being an ass.  I'm sorry about all this, okay?  If… if I wasn't constantly being followed by Paul, I'd be your friend.  Hell, I'd probably want to be…"  He froze mid sentence, suddenly realizing what he almost blurted out to her.  Nicole sent him a confused look.

"You'd want to be what?"

He looked up at her, cursing himself for having a big mouth.  As he continued to look at her, their eyes met, causing him to freeze.  He could feel something surging through him as he looked into her blue eyes.  It was something like… almost like… desire.  Without thinking, he stood, causing her to back up a step instinctively.  He slowly walked over to her, stopping when he was only about two inches away from her.  Nicole tilted her head back, now having to look way up to see him.  She went to back away again, but he caught her arm, pulling her to him.  Once again totally disobeying his mind, which was screaming at him to back off, he leaned down to her.  She looked at him in surprise as he did the one thing she _never_ in a million years would have expected him to do… he kissed her.  Throwing caution to the wind, she brought her arms up and wrapped them around his neck, opening her mouth and allowing him to slip his tongue inside.  After a moment, he pushed her away, stepping back about three paces.

"Please leave," he requested quietly, looking at the floor.  Nicole sent him a confused look.

"W-what?"

"Please… just go.  Get out," he said, gesturing to the door.  

As she looked down at the floor, Brock looked back up at her, wincing when he saw the hurt in her eyes.  He hadn't meant to do that at all.  He felt like trash as he watched her lower her head and slowly make her way to the door.  Once she was gone, he sat back down at the table, burying his face in his hands.  Now he decided to listen to his brain, which was screaming at him for kissing her.  He didn't know what came over him.  Now, he probably really hurt her feelings… Brock was beginning to hate the person he had to be in order to keep his title.

"Goddamn it."

**Sorry we took so long!  Hope ya'll still remember this story!  LOL, review please!!! **Britney and Nicole**


	8. Part 8

**PART EIGHT**   
  
Standing outside Brock's hotel room, Nicole felt the tears welling in her eyes. Brock had kissed her, then thrown her away like she was nothing. She hated to admit it, but she had enjoyed the kiss. She had liked Brock kissing her, she thought they were getting somewhere. Now they back where they started. Brock obviously didn't want to kiss her; he had made her leave right after he did it. But then… why did he do it?   
  
"What the hell is wrong with him?" Nicole questioned, blinking back more tears. She didn't want to cry, she couldn't let Brock Lesnar make her cry. Shaking her head of the thoughts, she decided to head back to her and Britney's room. As she approached the door, she stopped. Britney would want to know how things had went with Brock, and she could never lie to Britney. But, she didn't feel like explaining.   
  
Unsure of what to do, she walked past the room Britney and Adam were in, and she kept walking, not sure of where she was going.   
  
"Hey Nicole." Looking up at the voice, Nicole forced a smile as she noticed John Cena and Dawn Marie walking towards her, holding hands. Apparently, Matt and Adam's plan to get them together had worked.   
  
"Hey guys." Nicole greeted quietly.   
  
"Hey, where are you going?" Dawn questioned, flashing a bright, happy smile. Nicole only wished she could be that happy. Everyone else was… Britney had Adam, Dawn had John, Amy had Matt… she was always the odd one out.   
  
Pushing the thoughts into the back of her mind, Nicole smiled again. "Just walking around. Don't want to disturb Adam and Brit." She joked, partly telling the truth. She really didn't want to disturb them, but she also didn't want to explain anything to Britney.   
  
"So, they finally got together?" John questioned, grinning.   
  
Nodding, Nicole glanced back at Brock's locker room, frowning as she saw Paul Heyman walk in.   
  
"Nic?"   
  
"Oh, sorry. I was just… thinking."   
  
"Okay… well we were going to get some breakfast, do you want to come?" Dawn questioned, smiling at her friend.   
  
Shaking her head, Nicole replied. "Nah, you guys have fun. I don't want to interfere."   
  
"You won't be." John assured her.   
  
"No, I'm not really hungry either. Have fun though."   
  
"Okay, if you're sure."   
  
"I am, have fun."   
  
Smiling, they both walked away. Nicole couldn't help but feel jealous as she watched them leave hand in hand.   
  
"BOO!"   
  
Jumping, Nicole spun around. Sighing when she realized it was only Matt, she smacked him lightly on the arm. "What the hell was that for?"   
  
"Just seeing if I could scare you… so what's up?"   
  
"Nothing, just wandering around. You?"   
  
Shrugging, Matt smiled. "I'm leaving in a minute, I'm going to see Amy."   
  
"Oh, that's cool. Have fun."   
  
"I will, I actually have to get going now." Matt explained.   
  
Nodding, Nicole gave him a quick hug and watched him walk away.   
  
Upon hearing noise down the hall, Nicole turned around. She let out a small gasp when she noticed Paul Heyman and Brock Lesnar walking out of Brock's hotel room. She wasn't sure what to do when she realized that they were walking towards her.   
  
As they walked by, Paul Heyman just shot her a look, while Brock avoided looking at her altogether. She watched them walk away, not believing the whole thing. Thinking back, she remembered what Brock had said to her. 'I have to be an asshole to you because quite frankly if I'm not, Paul will pull the plug on my big push.'   
  
"Heyman." She said quietly. Paul Heyman controlled what Brock did. If Brock didn't listen to Heyman, he could lose his Championship push. Well, Heyman didn't have all control over Brock, other people had some say in the storylines and what happened. "Steph." Nicole realized. "I can talk to Steph about this." Stopping for a second, Nicole thought back to the other day, when Stephanie had listened to Heyman over Britney, her own cousin. Stephanie always thought in terms of good business, but it was worth a try. Making up her mind, Nicole set off down the hall, in search of Stephanie's hotel room. This was her last chance to help free Brock of Heyman, and maybe help herself in the process.   
  
BRITNEY'S HOTEL ROOM   
"Do you think Nicole is talking to him now?" Britney questioned, looking over at Adam.   
  
Looking away from the TV, Adam shrugged. "I don't know. She might be. I'm sure she can handle it though. She is a big girl."   
  
Sighing, Britney sat up on the bed, running her hands through her blonde hair. "That's not what I meant… it's just that Brock has been so weird…"   
  
"Brit, I know. It's Heyman, the man is a brainwasher." Adam explained, sitting up next to Britney. "Heyman only does things to help himself. Having Brock with him makes him bigger, higher profile. It does the same for Brock. Heyman is very well known. Brock being with him makes him bigger. That's one of the reasons for Brock getting a title push so fast. And for Heyman, if he's with Brock, he always has a bodyguard, someone to save him from the problems him mouth gets into."   
  
"I guess. I just… Heyman is bad for Brock." Britney admitted, sighing deeply. "Brock is a good guy, I don't think he wants to act like he is. But… Heyman hates us, so if Brock's with him, then he has to hate us too. But I don't think he wants to."   
  
"If he didn't care, he wouldn't have saved Nicole last night." Adam pointed out.   
  
Nodding, Britney had to agree. "I know… that's one of the things that makes me think that Brock doesn't want to do this. But, just because he isn't fully behind Heyman's evil schemes, doesn't mean he won't go along with them. That's why I'm so worried about Nicole getting as involved as she is."   
  
"Nicole knows what she's doing though. She's doing this because she wants to. She knows Brock saved her and she wants to thank him. That's all."   
  
"I don't think so." Britney disagreed.   
  
"What do you mean?"   
  
"I think… I think Nicole might have developed feelings for Brock. And I think the feeling is mutual."   
  
"You really think so?" Adam questioned, pondering the thought himself.   
  
Nodding, Britney replied. "Yeah I do. I just don't want Nicole to get herself hurt. And if Heyman gets involved, I have feeling we're going to have trouble."   
  
STEPHANIE'S HOTEL ROOM   
Taking a deep breath, Nicole picked her hand up and knocked twice on the door to Stephanie's hotel room.   
  
After a few moments, Nicole heard the door being unlocked and Stephanie opened it, looking tired.   
  
"I'm sorry Steph, did I wake you up?" Nicole questioned, feeling like she had started off on the wrong foot if she wanted to talk to Stephanie.   
  
"No Nic, I was awake, just tired." Stephanie admitted.   
  
"Oh… well I wanted to talk to you, but I can wait." Nicole explained, turning around.   
  
"Wait… you can talk to me now, come on in."   
  
Shrugging, Nicole gave Stephanie a smile and walked in the room. Taking a seat on the bed, she tried to prepare what to say.   
  
"So, what did you want to talk about?" Stephanie questioned, sitting next to Nicole on the bed.   
  
"Um… actually… Brock Lesnar."   
  
"Okay, what about him? Did something happen with him and Heyman?"   
  
"No, um… I just wanted to know… whose idea was it to give Brock his title push?" Nicole asked, hoping that was the best way to start.   
  
"Paul Heyman." Stephanie answered.   
  
'Damn.' Nicole thought to herself. If it was Heyman's idea, then Brock wouldn't have gotten it without him, he'd been right. He needed Heyman, he wouldn't be anywhere without it.   
  
"But of course, I thought it was a great idea. Brock is marketable and he should be a great champion." Stephanie added.   
  
Nodding, Nicole asked her next question. "Um... so if Heyman hadn't been involved with Brock, where do you think he would be now?"   
  
"Honestly? He would still be getting a push, just not a title push. Heyman is a good person to have as an agent. He maybe be sneaky and underhanded, but that helps sometimes."   
  
"So, basically, without Heyman, Brock's nothing?"   
  
"If you want to put it bluntly, yes." Stephanie agreed.   
  
"Shit." Nicole cursed quietly.   
  
"Why are you asking all this?" Stephanie asked, confused as to why Nicole suddenly cared.   
  
"I just… I don't think Heyman is what's best for Brock. He's turning him into an ass…"   
  
"If Brock lets Heyman turn him into an ass, then he was one to begin with. Heyman isn't that powerful Nic. Brock may act like an ass, but I doubt that's what he is."   
  
"I guess, but he's so…"   
  
"So what? Since when do you talk to Brock?" Stephanie questioned, growing more and more curious by the second.   
  
"I just don't think Heyman is a good influence on Brock. Heyman hates us, and he could make Brock hate us."   
  
"Since when do you care if Brock hates you?"   
  
"I… I don't." Nicole attempted to cover up, knowing Stephanie didn't believe her. Sighing, she ran a hand through her hair. "I just don't think Heyman should have as much control over people as he does. He convinced you to give Adam that match by lying. He told you that he was watching us to come up with a new storyline. That was bull, he was just covering up his spying on us."   
  
"Look Nicole, if you don't like the creative control Paul has on this company and its employees, you either have to deal with it or do something about it." Stephanie explained.   
  
Standing up, Nicole nodded. "I guess I'm going to do something about it then." She replied before walking out the door, leaving a confused Stephanie behind.

**Hey peeps!  Here's the next part… review please!  Hope you all like it!**


	9. Part 9

PART NINE

****

LATER THAT NIGHT

"Nic, what is up with you tonight?" Britney asked, having to jog to keep up with the incredibly brisk pace Nicole was walking at.  Nicole looked over her shoulder as she continued down the hallway, sending Britney a confused look.

"What are you talking about?" she questioned, facing forward again.  Britney sighed as she now had to run to keep up with Nicole.  They were on the their way to the locker room after Britney's match with Dawn Marie.  Groaning loudly, Britney caught up to Nicole and grabbed her by the arm, stopping her and spinning the brunette around to face her.

"You _know_ what I'm talking about Nic… you have barely spoken three words to me all day, and you botched that one spot in my match a few minutes ago," Britney noted.  Nicole shrugged, pulling out of the grasp Britney had on her arm.

"Sorry… it was only one mistake," she answered casually.

"You only had one spot!" Britney cried.

"You need to calm the hell down!  So what if I messed up my spot?  You act like you've *never* screwed up before!  Oh wait… I forgot, being an almighty McMahon means you NEVER mess up, doesn't it!?" Nicole yelled back.  Britney's mouth dropped into a scowl… she really resented that comment.  Just because certain members of her family were lazy and didn't take responsibility for their mistakes didn't mean that she was the same way.

"Don't go bitchy on me just because you're not talking to me about what's wrong!" Britney yelled back, raising her voice a notch or two.  She was really offended by what Nicole had said, especially since it came from the mouth of her supposed best friend.  Nicole groaned with annoyance, smacking her forehead.

"NOTHING is wrong Britney!" Nicole screamed, pushing Britney away from her and turning to walk away.

"Don't walk away from me Nicole, I'm not finished yet!" Britney called, grabbing her by the arm and pulling her back to her.  Nicole yanked her arm violently out of her best friend's grasp.

"Well *I* am," Nicole replied simply, pulling her arm back and smacking Britney as hard as she could.  

Britney, who was certainly not expecting the blow, stumbled backwards, gripping the wall to prevent herself from falling.  She stood back up, grabbing her cheek in pain as she looked at Nicole with her jaw dropped in complete shock.  Nicole was in just as much shock, though she tried her best not to show it.  All their lives, Britney had been the loud, obnoxious one… the one who was constantly getting into fights with people for her big mouth.  Nicole, on the other hand, had been the shy, quiet one… she was always there to help Britney, but she'd never actually start anything herself.  Now, she had just hauled off and hit her right in the face.  She couldn't believe it… and to be honest, she was afraid of what Britney was going to do.  Britney dropped her arm to the side, shaking her head at Nicole.  She looked away for a second, and Nicole swore she was going to cry… but of course, she was wrong.  When Britney turned her head back, all the traces of tears were gone, and she looked absolutely furious.  Britney balled her hand into a fist, drew her arm back and swung, nailing Nicole in the jaw.  Nicole stumbled as well, unable to contain the cry of pain that escaped her lips as her friend's fist connected with her face.  She looked up with a furious gaze, balling her hand into a fist and punching Britney as well.  Britney leaned down and charged at her, spearing her to the floor and punching her again and again.  After a few moments, Nickie nailed her in the jaw, rolling them over and pinning Britney to the ground just as the blonde woman had done to her a few seconds ago.  After a few minutes, the two women were still rolling around on the floor, both of them now screaming at each other while doing so.

  
Down the hall, a muscular man opened the door to his locker room, sticking his head out into the hallway and looking around.  He had heard what sounded like someone screaming, so he decided to investigate and check it out.  He turned his head one way and saw nothing, but when he looked in the opposite direction, his eyes widened.  He saw two women, whom he immediately recognized as Britney and Nicole, rolling around on the ground, obviously in a fist fight.  He ran over to the two of them, stopping for a moment and thinking about whether or not he really wanted to break up the fight.  At the moment, the rolling around had ceased and Britney was pummeling who the man thought was her best friend.  Finally deciding he didn't want anyone to get seriously hurt, he reached down and pulled Britney off of Nicole.  Nicole rolled over onto her stomach, her hands instantly going to her face.  Britney kicked and punched at the man until he let her go.  When he finally set her down on her feet, she turned and looked up at him, her expression turning to one of disgust as she saw who it was.

"What do _you_ want?" she asked angrily, placing her hands on her hips.  The man simply shrugged… he had no idea why he broke up the fight.  It wasn't like he cared… did he?  Britney shook her head, turning and stalking away.

"Fuck this… I'm out of here.  Nic, call me when you calm down so I can talk to you.  I certainly hope *this* asshole isn't the reason why you're so cranky today," she called back, speeding away from the scene.  

The man stood hesitantly for a minute, shuffling back and forth on his feet.  He knew he shouldn't, but for some reason he wanted to check on Nicole, make sure she was okay.  He slowly and tentatively walked over to her, kneeling down next to her and placing his hand gently on her back.  He leaned over her, watching carefully as she sat up, still holding her jaw painfully.

"Hey… are you okay?" he asked, and Nicole's eyes shot open.  She knew that voice… but it couldn't be him.  There was no way, especially after what happened earlier, that it could be him.  She turned slowly, looking up to discover that it was exactly who she thought it was.

Kneeling before her, with his hand still on her back, was Brock Lesnar.

LATE THAT NIGHT 

Britney was in her hotel room, laying down on the bed while Adam sat on the edge.  She was flipping through the channels on TV, but she wasn't really paying attention to it.  Adam wasn't either… he was staring at Britney, and to be honest, she was getting quite annoyed by it.

"What the hell are you looking at?" she asked, shutting the TV off and looking up at him.  He was squinting slightly, looking at her face.

"Your eye… it looks like… like there's a bruise forming under it or something," he noted, leaning in a little closer.  He moved his hand to her cheek to touch the side of her face, but she smacked his hand away.  "What happened?" he asked, concern flooding his handsome face.

"Nothing," Britney said, shaking her head.  "I don't want to talk about it."  She went to turn the television back on, but Adam snatched the remote out of her hand.

"Who did this to you?" he asked, fingering her cheek softly.  This time, she didn't push his hand away.  She closed her eyes, sighing quietly.

"Nicole," she replied flatly, thinking back to the fight she'd had earlier with her best friend… and how Brock Lesnar broke it up.

"Nicole?  She hit you?  Why?" Adam asked, confusion now mixing in with his look of concern.

"I don't know Adam… we had a fight over something dumb and we came to blows.  That wasn't what was weird about it though.  The weird thing was that Brock Lesnar pulled me off of her," Britney said, going deep into thought again.

"Brock?  This doesn't make sense.  He's gone from asshole, to nice, to bigger asshole, to nice… why can't he make up his mind?" Adam asked, turning to face Britney.

"I don't know… there's got to be something going on with him and Nic.  There just has to be… otherwise, why would he give two shits that we were fighting?" Britney responded with a question of her own.  Adam shrugged, unable to find an answer.

"I don't know either Brit.  Um… how is your eye anyway?  Does it hurt?" he asked, his concern returning to his girlfriend.  She raised her arm and made a so-so gesture.

"Kinda… I'll live.  I have to tell you though, Nickie's got a hard ass right hook.  I would have never expected it from her.  It really hurt… it still does.  It'll probably look and feel horrible tomorrow," she noted, wincing at the thought.

"Aww," Adam said sympathetically.  "I'll just have to take care of you then."  He leaned down and pressed his lips to hers, kissing her softly.  He cupped his hand around the back of her neck, running his fingers through her soft blonde hair.  She wrapped her arms around his neck, pulling him closer to her.  To prevent himself from falling off the bed, he placed his right leg over top of her body, straddling her slightly.  Their kiss deepened, but stopped abruptly when they heard a small voice.

"Um, sorry… I'll just come back later," Nicole said, looking away quickly.  Adam jumped, swiftly pushing himself off of Britney and back to where he was sitting as Britney herself sat up.  Neither of them could contain their laughter as they noticed how red Nicole's face was.

"It's okay, come sit down," Britney said, grinning widely.  When Nicole sat on the opposite side of the bed as Adam, Britney grew serious.  "I, uh… I'm sorry about earlier."

Nicole looked down, replying, "No, I'm sorry Brit.  I threw the first punch and I shouldn't have.  I was just having a bad day, and I had no right to take it out on you."

"We were both kind of at fault there," Britney commented, and Adam nodded.  "But you never told me what happened.  Why were you so moody today?"  Nicole looked over at the white wall of the hotel room for a moment before switching her gaze back to her best friend.

"Well, uh… when I went to see Brock today, he… he kissed me," she revealed, and Britney gasped.

"He kissed you?" Adam asked in disbelief.  Man, this night was getting more and more confusing by the minute.

"Yeah… and then he told me to get out.  He took it back, and said I should leave.  I'm so confused right now Brit, and I have no idea what to do," she said, leaning back against the headboard.

"What is there to think about?  He's an asshole Nic… you're way too good for him.  He shouldn't even be a second thought," Britney replied, shaking her head.  There was no way in hell she would approve of a guy like Brock Lesnar for Nicole.  She had a feeling though, that her approval didn't matter this time.

"But he _is_ a second thought… in fact, it's almost consuming me, that's how often I'm thinking about it.  I think I have a major problem," Nicole said, looking back and forth between the two blondes.

"What do you mean?" Britney asked. 

Looking up at her, Nicole shook her head.  She thought back to earlier that night, when Brock came to check on her after the fight.  He walked her to the trainer's room, and didn't leave until a trainer got there to check out her head, as she complained of feeling dizzy.  He was so sweet to her, much like he was this morning, but Nicole just didn't know how to react to him anymore.  He changed his personality so often that she couldn't keep track of it.  Still, she could feel herself becoming more and more deeply attracted to that side of Brock.  She could tell that through the shell he wrapped so tightly around himself that there was a good, loving, caring man.

"I think… I think I'm falling in love with him."

**Sorry we took so long!!  Hope you guys like this chapter… review it please!!**


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